Mage hits Saratoga’s main track in preparation for a run in the Travers (Janet Garaguso)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing and CMNWLTH’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Mage breezed five furlongs in 1:01.03 here Saturday in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 26 at Saratoga Race Course
NYRA Clockers caught the Gustavo Delgado trainee through splits of 12.58, 24.49 and 36.35 over the main track.
Mage was scheduled to work Friday over the Spa main, but had his work pushed back following torrential rainfall throughout the morning. Under clear skies Saturday, Mage stepped onto the track shortly after the renovation break in the company of a pony and traveled clockwise around the clubhouse turn to the finish line before turning back to begin his work on the backstretch. He completed his exercise under little urging from regular exercise rider J.J. Delgado and followed with a strong gallop out.
“Very good, because it was very easy,” Delgado said of the work, which was Mage’s first since finishing a game second in the Grade 1 Haskell on July 22 at Monmouth Park. “The rider said to me, ‘no complaints.’ Very intelligent and concentrated. He came back and wasn’t breathing heavy and was quite focused. We can’t ask for more. We wanted whatever the horse wanted to do. It’s two weeks after the Haskell, so we had no expectations and he didn’t need to hit a mark.”
Co-owner Ramiro Restrepo was on hand for the work, and said he could not be more pleased with the way Mage has settled in at the Spa.
“I’m super happy,” said Restrepo. “He galloped out strong and he’s really feeling himself. He’s really enjoying Saratoga and a lot of horses take to it here. It’s like a horse paradise for them and for ourselves. We go week-by-week in this process.
“We as humans make the plans, but sometimes Mother Nature alters them and we have to be patient. The track maintenance crew did a fantastic job with the track,” added Restrepo.
Restrepo said that adding a win in the prestigious Travers to Mage’s resume would be a dream come true.
“For all of us, it’s a really special place. Gustavo and his family have come here every year since they moved from Venezuela,” said Restrepo. “I’ve only missed three Saratoga meets in my life and there’s even a book about Saratoga with a picture of my grandfather walking a horse here. Other than the Derby, the Travers is the race that you dream about. To have a blanket of roses on one shoulder and a canoe on the other would be something that you could only script.”
Mage will look to post another strong result in the sophomore division after his breakout win in the Kentucky Derby, which he entered off a close second to leading 3-year-old colt Forte in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Mage exited the Kentucky Derby to finish third in the Grade 1 Preakness behind gate-to-wire winner National Treasure.
In the Haskell, Mage showed his usual strong turn of foot under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano to run down all but the victorious Geaux Rocket Ride to be defeated 1 3/4 lengths. He earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, the second-highest of his career behind the 105 he earned for his Derby coup.
“The Haskell was the prep for the Travers. We needed one race between the Preakness and Travers, and I preferred the Haskell,” said Delgado. “He came back even better out of the Haskell than he did the Preakness.”
Delgado added Mage will likely work again Friday over the Spa main track.
Out of the graded stakes-placed Big Brown mare Puca, Mage was purchased for $290,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He has amassed nearly $2.5 million in earnings through a record of 6-2-2-1.
